Hamburg based RVDS makes beautifully deep & fragile music encompassing an array of styles from the deepest of house and techno with spacious beats and infectious melody. He took a Moment to talk about the new album, his process and love of synths.Tell us about RVDS aka Richard von Der Schulenburg.

RVDS could be an abbreviation for "Rich Violet Detroit Sound" or "Rude Visions Destroys Science." One evening my friends did a list of different abbreviations for RVDS; it's fun. But in a way, you are right, it is my name as well and in fact it's the name for my electronic music project.

How did you come from playing in a punk band to making house music?

It's a musical development. I'm always trying and experimenting with sounds and music and always did electronic music, but not that club thing. This is new and I love to do it. In my opinion every kind of music can be awesome when it has this energetic thing. This could be a groove, a melody, a sound or a word in the lyrics. It's interesting with people like Moritz Von Oswald or Thomas Fehlmann, who have played in bands like Palais Schaumburg and 20 years later they are doing a different electronic music.

Do you recall some of your early clubbing experiences?

My early club experiences in the mid Nineties aren't that clear in my head. Maybe I was too drunk or something -- and I wasn't enjoying the music as much as I do now. My first awesome club experience was 2004 -- as you see, very late ... What I really love in all club experiences is this nonstop dancing thing and that there is this open-minded emotional communication between the people. 2004 there was this track "Easy Lee" by Ricardo Villalobos, which left me and many other people feeling something very intense. This is what I love.

Tell us about the Skywalking project -- how did the project come about?

It started at the Pudel Club in Hamburg. There was a Monday and there was no Dj around, so Pete aka Lawrence called me and Christian Naujoks to play some records. Anyway, the feeling was like talking to each other through music, and this was very intense. We did some recordings as well. I hope we get some music released this year, so that you can decide if you like to listen to these musical conversations.

The album varies in styles from deep house to acid to techno and back but all carries an experimental feel; what are the influences that make up your sound palette?

It would be too long for listing all the influences. I could mention Larry Heard, Drexciya, Sun Ra and so on, but in fact I'm just experimenting and playing with my instruments, which trigger all the influences in my brain.

Who's the vocalist featured on "Pain?"

It's me, myself and I. This vocal line gets in my head after a night in the Pudel Club and I record the first voices early in the morning. I like to do things with vocals; maybe it's the best personal note you can give in the music you make.What does your gear set up consist of and your process for recording?

My gear is mostly analog instruments. I grew up with these things and remember my brother getting a Roland Juno synth on his birthday in 1983. So indeed I know how these instruments work and I like the sound. A friend of mine has a synth-studio “museum,” where nearly 20 synths are live.

I recorded two tracks from the album there, but sometimes so many great synths and drum machines can confuse my process, so I like working with less equipment at home.

My track "Marzipan Nightmare" from the it's 002 EP is made with the Arp Qaudra, Arp Odessey and the PPG. For an example ...

The track "Windy Night" is made with the Roland Jupiter 8, the Oberheim and the Roland System 100. Every piece of gear has got something to say ...

Yes, at It's I can release any music I want without doing making compromises or agreements which don’t make the product any better.

What's the story behind the URL http://it.is.itsits.it/?

We do things here that sometimes we don't even know what we do, but we know that it's mostly good. Say it in Derrick May words: it is what it is :-) -

What is the current state of affairs with electronic music in Hamburg?

The Smallville record shop/ parties and the MFOC partys (always on Sunday) at the Pudel Club where such acts like Mount Kimbie or Kyle Hall played last year are very important places to go for electronic music.